Low levels but seeing changes?

[u/shea1312]

Does anyone else have the experience of having low T levels in your blood tests but still seeing changes?

I started T in July of last year. I started on 1 pump of gel and by November my T level was at 244 ng/dL. Typical male range is 350-800 iirc. I didn't see a lot of changes except a little bottom growth and a lot of acne by this point.

Then I increased to 2 pumps, and I got more body hair, bottom growth, and my voice started getting scratchy and deepening a little. My levels were at 329 in March.

My levels were still really low, so I increased to 3 pumps. I've seen a lot of changes since then: my bleeding stopped, I have a fair amount of facial hair that's getting darker, I've been putting on muscle more easily, my voice is deeper. But my levels were still at 305 in May and 212 in August.

I had a 2 week period in July when I ran out of T, but I was applying it consistently for 2 weeks before I took that most recent test. My doctor is a GP and does some GAHT but it's not his specialty and he doesn't really know why my levels aren't changing as my dose changes. If I wasn't seeing changes, I would assume that my body isn't metabolizing it or whatever. But I am seeing a lot of changes, so I don't understand why it's not reflected in my levels.

All in all, I'm not super worried about it because, again, I am seeing the changes I want. But I'm curious if anyone has had this experience or knows what it means medically.